In July 2018, the Mont-Blanc Express will celebrate its 110th anniversary.
You will find below a video on the Mont-Blanc Express.
Un billet de train pour le Mont-Blanc
The history of Mont Blanc Express
The history of the Chamonix Valley is closely linked to that of the Mont Blanc Express. During the years, the train increesed tourist development in the valley.
The Mont-Blanc Express is also an essential link between the populations of Haute-Savoie and the Trient Valley.
Here are some key dates:
- 1899: beginning of construction of the railway line.
- 1901: first traffic between St-Gervais and Chamonix. Five years later, the train arrives at Argentière.
- Early 20th century: inauguration of the railway line connecting St-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet to Martigny.
- 18th August 1906: the Swiss inaugurate the line Martigny - Le Châtelard.
- 1st November 1907: the breakthrough of the 1883m long tunnel, whose highest point is located at 1386m altitude, allows the connection of the two networks, previously separated by the Col des Montets.
- July 2008: the railway line that connects Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet to Martigny celebrated its 100th anniversary in July 2008.
- July 2018: The Mont Blanc Express celebrates its 110th anniversary
- 2019/2020: Renovation works on the railway with an additional 8km and replacement of several engineering structures, including 3 railway bridges.
The Mont Blanc Express in a few figures:
- 55 kilometers of line;
- 19 stations and stops on the French side;
- 11 on the Swiss side.
The Mont-Blanc Express service is part of TER (Regional Express Transport). It is operated by SNCF in France and by TMR (Transports Martigny and Region) in Switzerland.
Presentation of the railway line
The panoramic train Mont-Blanc Express crosses the high valleys of Chamonix and Trient, from the Fayet-Saint-Gervais (France) to Martigny (Switzerland).
The electrification system makes this railway line an emblem of the mountain railway network. The power supply via the third electric rail allows the development of a sustainable and innovative tourism.
Installed in air-conditioned wagons with slightly tinted panoramic windows, the tourist can enjoy an amazing alpine landscape: the Mont Blanc and its 4,807 meters, the Drus, the Aiguille du Midi, the Bossons Glacier, the Glacier d'Argentière, deep forests and vertiginous peaks.
The Mont Blanc Express connects Chamonix to Martigny in less than an hour and a half. The train makes many stops, allowing travelers: tourists, schoolchildren or employees to gain their starting point.
The line is also interconnected with a network of small trains: the Mont Blanc Tramway or the Montenvers Train.
If you are staying in the Chamonix Valley and you want to take advantage of Mont Blanc Express for free, ask your accommodation provider for the "Guest Card". This card gives you numerous discounts, notably free bus and train travel between Servoz and Vallorcine.
Last update on 22 June 2018: Attention from 16th June to 16th September 2018, the Mont Blanc Express increases the frequency of its trains on the Les Bossons-Vallorcine route with a train every 30 minutes. On this route, two trains per hour are available in each direction.
For more information on the Mont-Blanc Express this summer 2018, click here
